POS0091-PARE MIG-NETWORK - A NETWORK FOR PEOPLE WITH RHEUMATISM AGED 35-55 YEARS.
Authors: B. Schmidt Andersen
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2022)

Background The MIG network (“MIG” is a shortening for “Midt i gigt” which means “In the middle of Reumatism” as well as mid-life. MIG also means “ME” in Danish The existing offers and activities in the Danish Rheumatism Association are primarily targeted towards the age group above 60 years. Often, younger members find it difficult to feel at home and see themselves as part of that particular age group. They miss activities where they can meet up with their peers, who are going through the same challenges in life. Objectives The objectives of the MIG network is to create a forum for people with rheumatism, who are roughly between 35 and 55 years old. The network focuses on life with rheumatism and how to keep the balance between job, family life and the disease. The ultimate goal was to create a community based on networking, shared experiences and relevant knowledge from both each other and health professionals. Methods First of all, the age group needed to be involved right from the start, so we initially made a series of interviews to learn about their needs and wishes. Then we gathered a group of five volunteers, who agreed to participate in defining the objectives and activities and to start up the network. The network consists of the following: I) an online based network with monthly webinars on the platform Zoom, where different health professionals talks about relevant subjects. The obvious advantage being, that people could participate from all over the country, from their sofa, not needing to dress up and travel after a long day of obligations. II) The Danish Rheumatism Association have created an App for their volunteer community. In this app we offered the members of MIG “a room of resources” where they can find news on the latest research and other relevant news. The members can also ask questions and share written advice and good ideas with each other. III) Last, but not least it was important for the volunteers to offer physical meetings once or twice a year. They long to meet up, to laugh together and share their stories and experiences on life with arthritis. These meetings always have talks and lectures by eg. Reumatologists, scientists, physiotherapists or psychologists. Results I) The participants in the online webinars have been very pleased with the professional presentations and found them to be very useful. At the same time, they gained useful tools to make it easier to live a life with rheumatism. But it has been difficult to create an intimate space. For many, it is difficult to share private feelings of uncertainty and inadequacy on camera in a Zoom meeting. The “room of resources” on our App has only worked and engaged a very small group of people, in spite of a great effort from our volunteers. The physical meetings have been a great success. And they have covered a need that wasn’t met before. The participants have enjoyed the professional lectures, but enjoyed the social networking even more. So now the meetings have less lectures and more networking in the program. As living with a chronic disease can make the whole family and network suffer, we also met the need to invite next of kin to join the meetings and have arranged for them to have their own workshop with a Psychologist. Conclusion The MIG network makes sense! And it has met a need for people with a chronic disease to meet up with peers in the same life situation. It has proven to be more difficult than intended to create an online community, whereas the physical meetings have created strong relations on a completely different level. The network continues with both the digital and the physical activities nationally. The goal is also to recruit volunteers locally, so that they can initiate local activities. References None Disclosure of Interests None declared